Confidence ebbs at hospitals left without leaders

Monica Lennon, Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman, said there was a crisis in confidence at senior levels of the NHSGETTY IMAGES

The Scottish NHS is suffering a crisis of confidence at leadership level, it has been claimed, following revelations that seven chief executives have resigned in a matter of months.

Almost half the health boards that run hospital services north of the border are losing their leader. NHS Grampian, NHS Highland, NHS Tayside and NHS Borders are among those with a vacancy at the helm.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Liberal Democrats’ health spokesman, said that he would be tabling questions in Holyrood to ensure that the Scottish government was in control of the problem.

Paul Gray, chief executive of NHS Scotland, took to Twitter to defend the situation, saying that interviews for the jobs in Tayside and Highland were taking place next week.

He added: “When CEOs…

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